Wage liens: UCC

When filing a wage lien, a worker alleges that their employer hasn't paid wages owed to them. The wage lien places a legal “hold” on property. This assures there are assets available once a court or agency decides that you're owed wages.

File a wage lien

• Download the UCC Wage Lien Statement.
  • Instructions for completing the form are on page 2.
  • Type or laser print on form only. We don’t accept handwritten documents.
• Fill out the Debtor/Employer’s name and address.
• Fill out the Secured Party/Employee’s name and address.
• Fill out the Collateral section.
• Mail your initial UCC wage lien or amendment with appropriate fees to:

  Uniform Commercial Code
  Department of Licensing
  PO BOX 9660
  Olympia, WA 98507-9660

• Notify your employer that you filed a wage lien. See below for instructions.

Notify employer of wage lien

When you file a wage lien, you must notify your employer. To this, you must:

• If you filed online:
  • Print and sign the UCC Wage Lien Financing Statement.
  • Print the acknowledgement.
• Mail copies of the following via certified mail, with return receipt requested:
  • UCC Wage Lien Financing Statement.
  • UCC Acknowledgement.
    • If you filed by mail, you’ll get a copy once we post the filing to our system.
• The notice of wage lien to the employer must Include:
  • The claimants (employees) name, address, and phone number.
  • A description of the personal property subject to the wage lien.
  • The name of the property owner.
  • The principal amount being claimed.

Amend a wage lien

• Download the UCC Wage Lien Statement Amendment.
  • Instructions for completing the form are on page 2.
  • Type or laser print on form only. We don’t accept handwritten documents.
• Fill out the Debtor/Employer’s name and address.
• Fill out the Secured Party/Employee’s name and address.
• Fill out the Collateral section.
• Mail your initial UCC wage lien or amendment with appropriate fees to:

  Uniform Commercial Code
  Department of Licensing
  PO BOX 9660
  Olympia, WA 98507-9660

How do I contest or stop a wage lien

An employer may contest or stop a wage lien if:

• Eight months have passed.
• You as the employer have paid the wage claim.
• Or
• You feel the wages are not owed.

Employers must provide the UCC office with a court order signed by a judge. You can get one at a district or superior court.

You will need:

• The wage lien file number.
• The name of debtor.
• The name of secured party.

Send us the court order along with this information to: